NLaG Urgent and Emergency Care
NLaG Urgent and Emergency Care
In 2019, North Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Trust were working on a project to improve their Urgent and Emergency Care pathway through the development of dedicated Same Day Emergency Care and Acute Assessment Units, co-located within an Integrated Acute Assessment Unit (IAAU).
Additional funding enabled a more ambitious programme of work to construct new Emergency Department facilities at two of their hospital sites, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital and Scunthorpe General Hospital. This gave the opportunity for a comprehensive review of the entire clinical pathway, with clinical teams from both sites working together to agree the patient flow, accommodation requirements and overall design of the service.
The combination of new-build and refurbishment at both sites makes best use of existing hospital buildings, infrastructure and adjacencies, whilst providing new fit-for-purpose accommodation for the most clinically acute patient needs.
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Contractor
Kier
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Project Manager
WT Partnership
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M&E Consultant
Mott Macdonald
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Civil / Structural
Mott Macdonald
Designed during height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new Emergency Departments, SDECs and Assessment Units aligned the accommodation and clinical pathway across both hospital sites, giving the clinical teams the space and facilities to implement their new Urgent and Emergency Care model. Having control over the adjacencies, activity and links between each Department within the pathway helped the clinical team develop a cohesive and collaborative environment, with accommodation and a staffing model that allows the units to flex acuity levels when required.
Shown below a design visualisation of the new Emergency Department at the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital.
Integral to the EDs, bespoke staff bases take the form of touch-down benches, positioned and designed to give staff maximum visibility into assessment rooms whilst encouraging the staff to stay active within the department.
The layout straddles the line between the traditional options of ‘ballroom’ or ‘linear’ department layout, making efficient use of circulation. This novel concept was brought to the team by the clinical leads, who then worked with the design team and supply chain to refine the final product through a series of digital prototypes.
The internal wayfinding, artwork and decoration incorporate a clear palette of colours and symbols to give consistent theming across both sites. The signage is designed to give clear information about the clinical pathway to manage expectations and reduce aggression towards staff, during a time when patients are understandably suffering from stress, anxiety and pain.
A series of digital sky installations throughout the departments provide relief within a deep-plan environment, where access to natural light is restricted.
At each of the two sites, Scunthorpe and Grimsby, the new-build areas of the ED link seamlessly with the adjacent IAAU. This gives significant benefits to patient streaming from a single walk-in entrance. Re-use of existing areas also minimises the carbon impact of the overall development, which achieved Excellent rating under the respective BREEAM assessments.
The completed scheme provides an immediate benefit to patients, with the Trust now able to optimise patient streaming for emergency treatment, collaborate effectively across the urgent care services, reduce delays, and safely discharge patients on the same day.
